The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-01-13

| people are strug gline against great odds to
make homes for themselves and their posterity
Court houses and other county buildings arc to
De erected and paid for: school houses built aud
SCHOOLS ma ntained; roads oponed and worked
community are to be called into being bv the
efforts and money Of tho hardy pioneer. Every
other sectiono or more perhaps, OF the land in the
county or district in which he has settled be-
| longs to some one OF these giant corporations,
and Is held Ey 1t freed from any liability to
tribute a farthing to tho Improvement which is
Instantly and rapidly enhancing the value Of
is holdings. The question Of the taxability of
| these lands has been in a number of cases and
IN dill orent forms before our supreme court. In
almost every such instance the state has been
! met With the PROVISIONS contained In the char
! tors OF these companies, which grant immunity
from tavation until ! sale or CONVEYANCE Of such
| isnGs. 1t Is for you to thoroughly investigate
| the status of such lands. and IL there is anv
way by which YOU can obtain relief to the people
| In this matter.
GRAIN STORAGE BY RAILROAD COMPANIES.
In connection with the legislation proposed by
inc ra1!road and warehouse commission. would
suggest for your consideration whether it Is not
both right aud practicable that the railway
companies which handle nearly I'LL OF the grain
raised for market in the state should not be re-
qu1red. when not receiving the same into cars
directly upon delivery to them: TO furnish
ment, free Of expense to the shipper. Is there
any sound reason for making grain an exception
to the general rule that common carriers shall
receive freight, and II not shipped at once. shall
furnish storage from the time il is offered for
Shipment until ready to be delivered to the con-
! The companies in much expense and 20 little
Inconvenience at first must be admitted: and ii
the system should be tnaugurated reasonable
time should certainly be given the companies
| to furnish suitable storage structures The
! proposed plan might. to a limited extent. dis
place elevators and grain houses now employed
ny other companies or persons, but I doubt if
It's effect in this direction would be material The
greater part of the grain now received by such
houses Is not delivered for transportation, but
is either sold for cash or receipts are taken by
the producer with intent TO sell at future
day and without shipping from the receiving
Ss TO 1s p%5 IN
fere with the facilities for buying, receiving or
storing OF grain wherever such traffic is could
be carried on, but it would certainly stimulate
railroad companies to provide, as far as possi-
bic, the necessary cars for the immediate ship
ment OF grain as offered. No grain. OF course,
would be delivered to the companies but such
as the owners desired to have Immediately
shipped. The most 0bvious reason for making
gram an exception to tie rule in sections where
| crop intended for sale is thrown upon the mar
ket within few months after harvest, and
hence 1t would he unreasonable to require the
| companies to provide the necessary transporta-
ton to move it In so limited time, or to store
1t Tor want OF cars to haul it away. But as the
wheat farmer becomes more forehanded and Is
lately, he will largely provide for his own stor-
age and this objection would soon be greatly
diminished. In this connection 1t would be well
To consider whether the objections to the pro-
posed plan are not to some extent founded on a
participation in the elevator profits by some OF
the officers or managers of the roads. rather than
Whether Or not these suggestions should be
considered by you worthy to be formulated into
legal enactment. have no hesitation in rec
omnending such legislation as will make i. 4
penal onense for any person owning, operating
OF managing railroad in the state to partici-
pate In any profits derived from an elevator
to6 ,o
line OF his road
WHEAT GRADING
One Of the most frequent and serious COM
plants among wheat producers and dealers in
uniform grades at different times and places
TOO often. indeed. at the same time and place
on wheat OF the same kind and quality. The
railroad and warehouse commissioners have
done much to lessen the evil, but there is still
wide room for improveu,e"r I. II possible the
inspection should be made by persons not only
dlSlnterestcd. in tho result. but without knowl-
edge of the ownership Of the grain OF Of the prob
able rurchas:r-or, indeed, OF the person or per-
sons interested in commissions on it. Under
CONDITIONS OF this kind anl satisfied that the
surprising and inexplicabe differences in ot}1cia,
grades Of wheat OF the same variety and quality
would rarely occur. Every avenue to dishonest
PRACTICES should be closed bv the law where pos
s!ble. With the door to fayoritism lett open
dissatisfaction will prevail, even in the absence
OF actual fraud.
WATERING STOCKS.
commend to Your special consideration the
LEGISLATION proposed by the commissioners to
prevent the issuing of false, fraudulent and nm
PAID STOCK by railroad companies. and to rcgu-
late proceedings in the matter OF increasing
tne,r capital stock 1t appears to me that the
evil OF watering stocks by railroad corporaticna
trick by which fictitious capital is created, and
upon which the people are required to pay divi-
dcnds This me- hod OF diuting and expanding
capital, already dangerous to the public from
It's very vastness and its absolute control by a
1nti ill.,.
1nan.-costs the producing classes Of the
country many millions annually. There can ex-
sfoc Eo oI mor claim to dlydends on
such dividends.
CHEAP PASSENGER FARES
Cheap passenger fares on our railroads. thourh
WITH us or secondary Importance as compared
with freight charges. ere nevertheless Of public
80 ercat-the masses Of the people 80 remote
from our large cities and chief public institu-
tions-thaS ira vel is ottentmes burdensome to
people. so much to be desired for many reasons
Is greatly retarded Still, it must be remenl-
bered that the very existence OF these magnificent
distances aud the comparatively limited pop,,-
iat!oa scattered over them rem er it impractica-
pie That the passenger rates here should be as
low as in the thichly settled communities of the
East. where the average number Of passengers
per mile Is many times greater. Commensurate
progress has been made du:ins the past wear
Toward sSandard OF cheap passenger fares, but
to be desired. There is, appreheud, Que obsta-
Gle IN the way which it is within your power to
remove. l allude to the practice. ob.;.ininr
among railroad companies, of issuing freq nas,es
This custom. b,sides helm. of questionable pol-
ICY, mas become burdcnsome TO t. G companies
It favors the few at the expense of the many
The travelling public who pay fares he W reason
to suppose that the amount charged them is
governed more or less by the number who ride
free 1t ls custom which smaoks of favoritfsm
on the one side and injustice on the other and
ill.e many other, would be more honored in the
preach Than in the observance" 1t may how
ever be safely assumed that the intiuence If
free passes on public men is much less than ia
generally supposed. it, indeed. the cases where
u sWe-ves them from duty arc not TOO rare to
merit consideration. The custom has become
go firmly established that men holding public
poslt1ons are apt to regard themselves as en-
Ltieo 70 1ree passes by virtue OF the offices they
mold: On the other hand the railroads are SUBJ
1ect to retaliation in many WAYS that it is
doubtful IT the practice can be suppressed with
out out legislative Interference. Unless forbidden
Dy iaw passes Will be issued, and with rare ex-
ceptlons those to whom they are issued will ac-
cept them. The influence Of the few who refuse
VIII Ge SO slight In restraining the evil that there
vii! be but little encouragement to individual
ac.loO In my Judgment the free pass system
IN 1ts present magnitude amounts to a public
eVl. ana recommend the enactment Of suitable
legislation to destroy it,
THE TAX LAWS.
Ihere Is no more Important subject concerning
which invoke Immediate legislation than that
OF tho amendment OF the general tax laws of the
state. Under these laws, as Interpreted by our
supreme court in its decision of the now cele-
hrated "Chauncey-W ass case" rendered since
the adjournment Of the last legislature and
lately reafirmed, though by a divided court.
any freehoider is liable to be Invested Of the title
to his real property through the operation of the
tax laws or tho action Of those who administer
them, although he may have paid his tax in ful
and within the statutory time. advance no
censure OF the court and find no good reason for
doubling tho sincerity, high motive and lofty
Independence Of the judges. The provisions os
tho statute are intricate. and there is too much
room for division and doubt The law shonld ha